KINGS POINT, N.Y. (9/6/08) - Junior running back Jared Chunn (Tinton Falls, N.J.) ran for a career-high 238 yards and three touchdowns, and rookie Thomas D'Ambrisi (Eatontown, N.J.) completed 13-of-15 passes with two touchdowns to lead the Kean University football team to a 40-0 season-opening victory over United States Merchant Marine Academy on Saturday afternoon. Chunn, who scored on each of the Cougars' first two possessions, rushed for the sixth most yards in single game history at Kean, as his touchdown runs of 2-yards, 61-yards and 46-yards gave the Cougars a 27-0 lead at halftime.

D'Ambrisi, who transferred to Kean after redshirting at Monmouth University in 2007, was nearly perfect, throwing for 215 yards in his Cougar debut.

The Cougars scored touchdowns on each of their first three possessions, while the Kean defense limited the Mariners to just 89 yards of total offense and 10 first downs.

Kean marched the opening kickoff down the field 75 yards for the 6-0 lead, as D'Ambrisi completed all three of his pass attempts for 51 yards and Chunn rushed the ball five times for 22 yards, including the two-yard touchdown run to cap the eight-play drive.

After pushing the Mariners back eight yards on their opening possession, Kean regained the ball on their own 31-yard line following the USMMA punt. The Cougars wasted little time, as Chunn took the second play of the drive a career-best 61 yards for his second touchdown of the afternoon for the 13-0 lead after the successful extra point.

On Kean's third possession of the game, the Cougars aired things out when D'Ambrisi connected with senior wide receiver Durell Dukes (Elizabeth, N.J.) with a 76-yard scoring strike, the fourth-longest pass play in school history, for a 20-0 lead in the opening quarter.

Chunn added his final touchdown of the game in the second quarter, capping a six-play, 71-yard drive with a 46-yard touchdown run for the 27-0 lead heading into halftime.

The Cougars added a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns, as D'Ambrisi connected with Dukes with a seven-yard touchdown pass and then added an eight-yard touchdown run for the final score of the game.
Dukes finished with six receptions for 157 yards and two touchdowns.

Defensively, four different players finished with five tackles apiece for Kean. Sophomore Victor D'Arrigo (Staten Island, N.Y.) and senior Markal Ginyard (Cape May Courthouse, N.J.) each had five solo stops. Senior Jake Pew (Sussex, N.J.) added five tackles, including one sack, and one fumble recovery, while rookie Joseph Laguna (Middletown, N.J.) added five tackles, including two tackles for a loss of 14 yards, and one pass break-up.

After a bye-week, the Cougars open New Jersey Athletic Conference action against Western Connecticut State University in the home opener on Saturday, September 20. Kick-off is slated for 1 p.m.